Life saving device



1 1932. r 1.. A. VWOLFE 1,858,256

LIFE SAVING-DEVICE Filed March 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR.

y v LCIT'ETL Wulf'e ATTORNEYS.

May 17, 1932. L. A. WOLFE LIFE SAVING DEVI-CE F iled March 17. 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. L are n A. Wcilf'e FIG. 3.

v ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 17, 1932 LOBEZN A. WOLFE, OF'BALTI'MORE, IvIAR YLAND LIFESAVING DEVICE Application filed March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,304.

The resent invention relates to a life saving evice and moreparticularly toimprovements in fire escapes. The primary object of theinvention is to provide an improved fire escape in theform of a handgripping device thru which a rope or cable is trained in a novel mannerso as to create a great amount of drag upon the rope or cable as thedevice is moved therealong.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter whereby the descent of the person using the device isregulated by a gripping action of the hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangementwhereby the hand of the operator is fully protected against injury whilegripping the device to regulate the speed of descent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fire escape embodyinga gripper device for travel along a rope or cable and having attachedthereto in a novel manner a safety belt adapted to be disposed about thebody of the user. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawngs forming a part of this specification andin which drawings: V

Figure 1 is a view showing the device in use.

Figure 2 device.

Figure 3 is a further tion of the gripper.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4: 1 of Figure 3.

"Figure 5 isa longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the drawings and wherein similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A lesignatesthe gripper provided with the safety beltor harness B, and C a ropeadapted to be trained thru the gripper A ina manner to prevent readymovement of the gripper along the rope. The gripper A is an enlargedside View of the enlarged side elevacomprises an elongated create adrag. upon the grip block 5 which is preferably formed of wood and hasthe rear edge of its body por- I tion 6 slightly concaved andtransversely rounded off. Formed in the grip block 5 at each end of thebody portion 6. is a rounded pocket 7 which opens at the forward edge ofthe block. The rear portion of the block is extended slightly beyond thepockets 7 as at 8 to provide hand protecting extensions. Formed in theforward edge of the body portion 6 is a combined guide and drag grooveorchannel 9 which is slightly curved thruout its length and has its endsrounding into the pockets 7. The channel 9' may be provided with asuitable number of trans- 'verse slots 10 for increasing friction andthese slots if so desired may contain rosin or any other suitablesubstance which will rope when drawn along the channel. Securedlongitudinally of the grip block 5 is a carrier frame which ispreferably formed from a metal strip to provide side plates 12 joined bythe rounded ends 13. The ends. of the carrier frame extend beyond thepockets? to points aligning with the ends of the guard extensions 8. The

carrier frame is attached to the grip block by means of suitable rivetsor bolts 14 extended thru the grip block body portion 6 and the sideplates 12.

Mounted in each pocket 7 as upon suitable pivot pins 15 is a splitsheave each embodying a pair of conical sections 16 arranged with theirconvex surfaces in confronting relation to provide V sheaves forreceiving the rope C. Each of the sheave sections 16 is reinforced atits outer or hollow side by a babbitt reinforcing collar 17 andthesecollars 17 have bearing engagement with steel washers 18 which bearagainst the side plates 12. Each rounded end 13 of the carrier frame isprovided with a rope receiving opening 19 7 whereby the rope may betrained thru the gripper about the split sheaves and along the dragchannel 9. rounded end 13 is a rope guide 20 which may be formed ofbabbitt and these guides serve to prevent wear on the rope.

The safety belt or harness B is preferably formed from lengths of webbelting having Secured inwardly of each 9 their ends 21 extended alongthe carrier frame side plates 12 and secured thereto by the attachingelements 14 and sheave mountings 15. The belt is preferably formed oftwo separate straps providing an open loop 22 having the sliding ring23. The ends of the straps 21 are preferably crossed over the upper endof the carrier frame and reinforced by a guard piece 20 with openingsprovided in the strap ends and guard piece permitting passage of therope therethru. Looped about the lower end of the carrier frame is aleather shield 24 which may be secured in place by the supporting memberfor the lower sheave. The shield 24 is provided with an opening thruwhich the rope passes and a leather washer 25 is preferably placedbetween the shield and rounded lower end of the carrier frame forpreventing possible cutting of the rope.

Secured longitudinally of the grip block is a combined hand shield anddescent regulator 40 which is preferably formed of a flexible materialsuch as leather and has its edges stitched as at 41 to the web beltingstraps 21 thruout their length of attachment to the side plates of thecarrier frame. The leather shield 40 forms a cover for the rope where itpasses along the channel 9 and covers the sheaves 16 for preventingcontact of the operators hand with the rope or the sheaves. The shieldis reinforced at its inner side by a piece of leather 43 which isadapted to bear against the loop and this reinforcing piece may bestitched to the shield. The shield is attached to the straps 21 in amanner whereby the reinforcing 43 is drawn tight over the rope where itpasses along the channel 9.

, Referring particularly to Figure 1, the apparatus may be normallyenclosed in a suitable boX as shown at 45 mounted adjacent a window orother opening in the building affording a means of escape in the case offire. The rope C may be provided at one end with a ring adapted toengage over an open hook 46 anchored in the wall of the building. 7

As shown in Figure 5, the rope is passed in a tortuous pathlongitudinally thru the gripper in a manner whereby considerablefriction will be created on the rope as the gripper is moved therealong.The manner in which the rope is passed thru the gripper causes the ropeto have contact with a sub tantial portion of the circumference of thesheave sections 16 and the greater the pull on the rope the greaterwedging action the rope will have with the sheaves. This wedging actionof the rope tends to spread the sheave ections with the result that thegreater the pull be the greater the friction created.

In use, the operator first removes the coiled rope from the box 45 andthrows the loose end of the coil out of the window. The loop 22 is thenplaced over the users head and also lowered to a position beneath thearms and after which the ring 23 is slid for closing the loop about theusers body. The user then grips the gripper A. with one hand and lowershimself along the rope O at a desired degree of descent governed by thegripping action upon the gripper A.

Thusit will be seen that a novel device of this character has beenprovided embodying a gripper adapted to be grasped by a person in amanner whereby the speed of descent may be easily regulated thru a meregripping action It will also be apparent that a gripping device of novelconstruction has been provided whereby a great amount of friction willbe created upon the rope without reof the invention herein shown anddescribed,

Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thefollowing claims. I claim:

1. In afire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided with achannel along its forward edge and a pocket at each end of the channel,a carrier frame secured longitudinally of the block, friction creatingsheaves journaled in the carrier frame in each of said pockets, saidsheaves being offset longitudinally of the gripper with respect to thechannel, and a rope trained over the sheaves and along the channel.

2. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided at oneedge with a rope receiving channel and a pocket formedat each end of thechannel, a carrier frame secured longitudinally of the block, a frictioncreating sheave journaled in each end of the carrier frame and arrangedin said pockets, said frame having rope guide openings in each endthereof, a rope trained thru the gripper about the sheaves and alongsaid channel, and a shield concealing the sheaves and adapted tofrictionally engage the rope in its travel along said channel.

3. In a fireescape, a gripper comprising a grip block having pocketsformed at its upper and lower ends and a rope channel between thepockets, a carrier frame mounted longitudinally of the block, splitsheaves journaled in the end portions of the carrier frame and arrangedin the pockets. a rope trained over the split sheaves and along saidchannel between the sheaves. and means for creating a friction upon therope along the channel.

4. In afire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided with afriction channel and a pocket at each end of the channel, a

split sheave journaled for rotation in each of the pockets, a ropetrained over the sheaves and along the friction channel, and guide meansfor guiding the rope to the sheaves at the ends of the gripper.

5. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided in itsfront edge with a friction channel and a pocket at each end of thechannel opening at the front edge of the block, a carrier frame securedlongitudinallv of the block and including side plates, a split sheavejournaled in the side plates in each of said pockets. a rope trainedover the sheaves and along the friction channel, and means for applyingadditional friction upon the rope by a gripping action about thegripper.

6. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided alongone edge with a friction channel and pocket at each end of the channel.said channel being formed with transverse slots. a sheave journaled forrotation in each pocket. a rope trained about the sheaves and along thechannel. a flexible U-shaped shield extending along the channeled sideof the grip block and concealing.

the sheaves. and a reinforcing piece secured to the inner side of theshield for contacting the rope along said channel.

7. In a fire escape, a gripper com rising a grip block having a frictionchannel along its front edge. a sheave journaled at each end of thechannel. a rope trained about the sheaves and along the channel. a beltincluding straps secured longitudinallv along the sides of the block.and a flexible shield concealing the sheaves and channeled side of theblock and having its edges secured to said straps thruout the length ofthe block.

8. In a fire escape. a gripper comprising a grip block including a bodvportion having a friction channel provided along its front ed e and apocket provided at each end of the bodv portion. a carrier frameincluding ide plates secured to the sides of the grip block and roundedend portions connecting the side plates. said rounded ends having ropereceiving openings, a split sheave journaled in the side plates in eachpocket and ach embodying a pair of conical sections. a

rope guided thru the openings in said rounded ends of the carrier frameabout said sheaves and along the friction channel rope protecting guidesat each end of the carrier raine. a body harness embodying strapssecured longitudinallv of the carrier frame and extended over the upperends thereof. and a flexible shield secured at its edges to the strapsfor extending in overlying relation o the sheaves and said channel toprevent contact with the sheaves and rope when passing along thechannel.

LOREN A. WOLFE.

